Hostage
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Miss Nettle returns and takes Cedric hostage, using a mind control spell to get him to do her bidding. Sofia teams up with Vivian and Wormwood to rescue the sorcerer but runs into trouble along the way. *As suggested by TheOliviaOcti*
1. Laswahinuitosian

Hostage

Summary: Miss Nettle returns and takes Cedric hostage, using a mind control spell to get him to do her bidding. Sofia teams up with Vivian and Wormwood to rescue the sorcerer but runs into trouble along the way. *As suggested by TheOliviaOcti*

Disclaimer: I don't own "Sofia the First!"

A/N: So I hope you all like this! This is actually a combination of a few ideas from various people, and TheOliviaOcti kind of set this in motion. For that, I say THANK YOU. By the way, this will be multi-chapter for two reasons: one, I wanted to put something out because I've missed writing; two, I feel it's necessary if I want to get the full story fleshed out. :) I won't make a guess as to how many chapters, because I'm not sure. I'll let you know in the future if I'm aware of my chapter status. Lol

Chapter 1: Laswahinuitosian

"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia called cheerfully as she entered his workshop on a Friday afternoon. She smiled when she saw him look up from what appeared to be a late lunch. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"Mmf, fm-mmoph!" Cedric paused and attempted to finish chewing so he could talk.

"Didn't your mother teach you _not_ to talk with your mouth full?" Wormwood griped, rolling his eyes before glancing at Sofia. "Forgive him, Princess. No manners sometimes…"

She giggled as Cedric wiped his mouth with his napkin.

Cedric cleared his throat. "Not at all, Sofia," he corrected, placing the napkin aside and standing up. "I can always finish this later. I know we have lessons to get to."

"About that…" She smiled sweetly when he eyed her curiously. "Would you mind if we had a visitor today?"

The sorcerer grew weary. _Another_ visitor in his workshop? That usually meant trouble… "What kind of visitor…?"

Sofia grinned and stepped back to the door, leaning out and apparently reaching for someone. She returned with Vivian, who seemed typically shy in the new surroundings. "Vivian came to spend the night with me, and I thought I'd see if she could do some lessons with us."

The dark-haired girl blushed. "I… I don't want to impose, Mr. Cedric," she told him softly. "I could just wait in Sofia's room."

"Nonsense," he clarified before smiling. "You, my dear, are one of the best students I've taught. I was very proud of your accomplishments with the 'disappearo' spell a few months ago."

Hearing these words, Vivian lit up. "You mean it?"

"Of course, Princess Vivian. You and Sofia are quite advanced for your ages. And it helps that you both actually _want_ to learn or at least _try_. That speaks volumes for both of you."

"Aw, Mr. Cedric," Sofia giggled before hugging him. She glanced at her friend and smiled. "He really likes hugs, Vivian. He'll try to deny it, but I know him better than that."

Vivian laughed as Cedric rolled his eyes good naturedly.

About an hour into the lessons, the girls decided it was time to eat. After all, magic usage really did build up an appetite.

"Do you want anything, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked as she and Vivian turned to head to the door.

"No, thank you, Princess. I've already eaten." He smiled mischievously and waved his wand. "Hurry back, because I've got a surprise for you two."

Vivian's eyes lit up. "A surprise?"

"He probably bought a new broom and wants us to sweep the workshop," the auburn-haired girl joked, making Cedric chuckle. "I'm just kidding. Can't wait to see what it is, Mr. Cedric! We'll be back soon." She giggled as she and the other princess left.

Cedric turned to Wormwood and smirked. "You look comfy."

Wormwood sent his master a pointed look as he used his wings to knock off the blanket that Vivian had covered him with. Apparently she thought he looked cold, so she was hoping to offer him some sort of warmth. "Not a word."

Meanwhile, outside the castle, Miss Nettle hovered above on her broom with Rosey tied snuggly around her wrist. She murmured a few things as she used her wand to mix something in a small vial.

"What are you _doing_?" Rosey asked curiously as she peered over at the mixing going on.

"You soon shall see!" Miss Nettle sang happily as she applied the finishing touches. "No insignificant sorcerer is going to stand between me and that amulet. I don't care how long it takes—I _will_ get it away from the pesky little princess."

"Yeah, because that worked _so_ well last time," Rosey griped with a look of annoyance crossing her face.

"Look, if you don't want to tag along, I could just leave you in that field of daisies we passed on the way here."

"NO! You know they're my sworn enemies."

The blonde witch smirked and held up her wand. "Then stop complaining." She lowered her broom to just outside Cedric's workshop. She watched the sorcerer move about the room and fix up a few things before sitting down at the table to talk to his raven. "Hmm, he's alone."

"So what? Are you trying to date him or something?" Rosey yelped when Miss Nettle growled and attempted to thump her upside the petals, but she ducked just in time. "Okay, so that's a 'no!' Just wondering… You seem to be fixated on him for some reason."

"No, dear Rosey. _He_ was fixated on _Sascha_. It's easy to sway him as long as you have the methods to do so." She grinned as an idea came to her. "And what better way to get his favor than to appear as the very one he seems to respect the most?" She tapped her wand to her head, transforming herself not into Sascha this time, but into Sofia.

"Whoa," the rose commented with surprised eyes. "Did _not_ see that one coming."

"And yet, it's perfect," the witch cackled, though it sounded strange when done in Sofia's voice. "Now, stay here and guard my broom. I've got a sorcerer to sway."

Downstairs, the royal family had just finished eating, and the children were still talking about how good the soup was. Apparently Baileywick had suggested a creamy vegetable soup his mother used to make, and it turned out wonderfully. Never before had the kitchen staff and the castle steward gotten so many compliments on a meal.

Vivian and Sofia bid goodbye to James and Amber, who wend in another direction.

"I wonder what Mr. Cedric's surprise is," Sofia mentioned as she and Vivian moved along down the hallway.

"I hope it's not something complicated, like another spell," the dark-haired girl admitted. "I finally got the hang of the 'disappearo' spell, but I don't know if I could handle another one."

The other girl laughed. "I'm sure whatever it is, we'll love it."

"Wormy, remind me that we need to finish that chess game after the princesses leave for the evening," Cedric called from a closet as he rummaged around in it.

"Ah, yes," the bird chuckled in amusement. "Wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to beat you again."

"Ah-hah! Found it!" Cedric emerged from the closet and shook his head to rid his hair of the dust that had clung to him. He then dusted off his robe. "Also, remind me to clean this filthy closet out." He stepped over to the table and placed a velvet box upon it. "Now then, all we have to do is see the girls' reactions."

The raven tilted his head in curiosity, wondering what could be so special about a box.

A knock fell upon the door, so Cedric stepped over and opened it. He looked down and saw Sofia standing there, but no Vivian. "Sofia?" He motioned her inside, so she moved into the workshop. "Where is Princess Vivian?"

"Who?" The young girl—really Miss Nettle in disguise—coughed to cover up her mistake. "I—I, uh, mean… She's downstairs! Heh… She'll be back."

"Oh… All right then."

Wormwood frowned. That was an awfully strange reaction to the question, and he had his suspicions raised already.

"I have a surprise for you!" Miss Nettle sang sweetly as she held up a piece of paper for Cedric to see. "I wrote a poem for you."

Cedric blinked. "Well, that's…interesting? Um, thank you, Princess." He chuckled and took the paper, peering over it carefully. "What language is this?"

"La—swahi—nuito—sian…" She started coughing and cleared her throat. "Um, yeah. An ancient one that's not been used. Laswahinuitosian!"

Wormwood rolled his eyes. "Really, Princess? And where are you getting _these_ facts?"

Miss Nettle shot a look at the raven and smirked, raising a finger to her lips. "Such a noisy raven," she whispered.

The bird frowned before feeling his beak sealed shut with magic, and his body froze. Oh, no! This wasn't Sofia!

Cedric was completely oblivious as he attempted to read the poem. " _Kufanya_ _mimi_ _zabuni_ _ya_ _kiwavi_ _._ _Kubadili_ _laana_ _usiku wa manane._ " ("Commit me to the bidding of Nettle. Reverse the curse at midnight.)

"Mm, yes," the Sofia imposter laughed, getting the sorcerer's attention.

"Sofia, what di-?" He paused, his hands dropping the paper and his eyes somewhat hazy. "I commit myself to your bidding," he said stoically, making the witch cackle and transform into herself.

"Do you now? Perfect!" She picked up the discarded spell (originally disguised as a poem) and cast it aside onto his desk. "Now then, I have a job for you."

Meanwhile, Sofia and Vivian arrived and knocked a few times, waiting for the usual response from the sorcerer. When nothing happened, the girls exchanged looks.

"Maybe he went to bed?" Vivian ventured.

"Mr. Cedric doesn't go to sleep _that_ early." The auburn-haired girl frowned. "I have a bad feeling…" She looked down at her amulet, which was glowing ever so slightly, before she gained confidence and shoved the door open. "Mr. Cedric?" She gasped when she saw Miss Nettle standing behind him, holding her wand up to him. "Miss Nettle?!"

"Good evening, dear Sofia," she cooed saccharinely and grinned.

"What have you done to Mr. Cedric?" She looked up at her mentor, whose eyes were drained of recognition and instead replaced with a look of intense focus.

"Cedric, darling," Miss Nettle responded with a sneer. "Get the amulet for me."

"Yes, Miss Nettle," he said vacantly as he lunged forward, attempting to capture Sofia, who ducked out of the way.

"Mr. Cedric, what are you doing?!" After he chased after her for a few minutes, Cedric accidentally collided with the open door and fell backwards. Sofia gasped for air as she glared up at the blonde fairy. "You won't get away with this!"

"Oh, believe me, my dear… I think I will!" She grinned and used her wand to lift Cedric from the floor and vanished in a dash of smoke. Cedric was gone too.

"What's going on?" Vivian asked, utterly confused.

"I don't know, but we have to get Mr. Cedric back!" She hurried over to Wormwood, who finally was no longer frozen or speechless. "Wormwood, are you okay?"

He huffed and raised his wings, trying to get some feeling back. "This is why I don't like most fairies."

"She took Mr. Cedric! What are we going to do?" The princess seemed really concerned for their friend and her mentor.

Vivian looked on as Sofia and Wormwood seemed to share some sort of connection. It was interesting. Sure, she talked to Crackle all the time, but she'd never heard the little dragon respond. She blinked. ' _I wonder_ …'

Wormwood pondered the situation for a few minutes before smirking and looking toward the Enchancian princess. "I know just what we can do."

To be continued…

A/N: So Wormy is going to have a pretty big role in this story, which has been a long time coming. ;) Hope you all like it so far! I plan to update more frequently after I return from my vacation next week. Then again, you know me—I may actually update _while on_ vacation. We'll see. :D And the language was "Swahili." It was the first one that caught my eye on the translator, and I was like, "Eh, why not?" Haha. It looked cool, so I went with it. :) Oh, and "Blameless" should be updated soon! Till next time! ~AquaTurquoise


	2. Following the Leader

Hostage

Summary: Miss Nettle returns and takes Cedric hostage, using a mind control spell to get him to do her bidding. Sofia teams up with Vivian and Wormwood to rescue the sorcerer but runs into trouble along the way. *As suggested by TheOliviaOcti*

Disclaimer: I don't own "Sofia the First!"

A/N: Here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the positive feedback on the second/final chapter of "Blameless." I had a blast writing it! :D And I didn't realize so many people were able to guess the outcome (won't say it here so those who haven't read don't get spoilers). You're good. Hope you like this next part! It's Wormwood-heavy and also will focus on Miss Nettle's plan for Cedric.

Chapter 2: Following the Leader

" _This_ is your idea?" Sofia asked the raven quietly as she, Vivian, and Wormwood stared at the flying coach outside.

He rolled his eyes. "Do you have any better ideas, princess?" he shot back. "Besides, as far as I know, you and the other princess have not yet grown wings—if I'm not mistaken, of course."

Sofia made a noise of slight annoyance. She'd forgotten how stubborn the bird could be when he wanted to be. "Oh, fine. But how are we supposed to find Mr. Cedric if we don't know where he went?"

"We're not going after Cedric just yet. There is another option you're not thinking of, Princess Sofia. Who could track down Cedric better than anyone?" Seeing her pause before lighting up, he rolled his eyes. "Besides _you_."

"Oh, well…" She grinned. "Mr. Goodwin?"

"Precisely. Now, on we go!"

Vivian tilted her head curiously. "Um, Sofia? Are you talking to a raven? Or…am I imagining things?"

Sofia giggled nervously as Wormwood's face grew stiff, realizing they'd been caught. "Um, yeah! I was just…well, sometimes it makes me feel better if I…talk to Wormwood." She smiled and stroked the raven's feathers to get him to calm down, and release his steel grip his talons had formed on her poor shoulder.

Wormwood hummed in slight appreciation before relaxing somewhat.

"Oh, okay." The dark-haired princess laughed. "You two just seemed to be in a conversation or something…"

"Eh, heh… Yeah." She looked toward Wormwood in slight worry, receiving a sigh and a shake of his head as a returned response. "Some help you are," she whispered pointedly as they clambered into the flying coach, which the young Enchancian princess would ultimately end up flying…again.

Meanwhile, in a small cottage in the woods just outside of Enchancia, Miss Nettle had settled in and placed her houseguest (for lack of a better word) in a chair for the time being. She hummed happily, using her wand to retrieve some needed supplies for her upcoming plans. "So tell me, Cedric darling," she began with a grin toward the dazed sorcerer. "You're going to follow my rules, right?"

"Yes, Miss Nettle," he agreed with a slight nod of his head. However, he showed no emotion.

The blonde woman frowned. "Oh, this won't do. As much as I enjoy you acting like a drone, I won't have you speaking as one. Be more enthusiastic!" She grinned and zapped him with her wand, watching him change from practically emotionless to rather animated.

"Oh, yes, Miss Nettle!" he responded once more, sounding more like Cedric but still not in complete control of himself. "I'll do as you command!"

"That's more like it." She cackled as Rosey glanced up at her with a roll of her eyes. "Oh, do cheer up, Rosey. And be polite: we have a guest!"

"You kidnapped him," the rose declared with a deadpan look.

"You say tomato…" The blonde fairy smirked and pointed her wand at Cedric, entrancing him a bit more with the energy flowing from the end. "Now, Cedric darling… I have a quest for you."

Cedric smiled hazily and nodded energetically. "How can I serve you, your evil fairy-ness?"

"Ugh," Rosey muttered, slapping her forehead with one of her leaves. "Please make it stop…"

"I need you to steal Sofia's amulet for me."

"That's it?" Cedric chuckled with a wave of his hand. "I can do that—no problem! It's not like I haven't attempted it before—" He paused with wide eyes, realizing what he'd just said. "Um, I mean…"

"Really?" the evil woman cooed with a menacing smile. "You don't say?" She flew over to him and tilted his head with her wand. "It looks like you may be more useful than I'd originally thought…" With a snap of her fingers, Cedric passed out. "Rosey, this is better than I could have hoped for!"

"What, you finally got a man to do your bidding?" The rose smirked when her owner looked at her pointedly. "Let's be honest! If you hadn't put him under a spell, he'd still be defying you."

"That's not the point, Rosey. I'll finally get what I want! That amulet can service me well!"

"And what are you going to do with the sorcerer when he's stolen Sofia's amulet? If he even _does_ , considering he just said he's tried—obviously unsuccessfully."

"Well, naturally I'd have no use for him." She looked toward Cedric, who was currently sleeping while floating in midair, thanks to her spell. "I don't intend on losing this time, so we'll do with him what all fairies do with intruders."

"Drown them in pixie dust and toss them to the Lost Boys?" Rosey grinned when Miss Nettle paused and looked at her strangely. "What?"

"Wow. You sure are snappy and a little more evil than I am today." She laughed. "Truly, I kind of like your idea better than mine." She cackled again, that annoying shrill laughter that would cause a grown man to cry in agony.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Sofia asked hopelessly as she and Wormwood stood near a ledge overlooking a waterfall while Vivian stayed back, resting in the flying coach and waiting on them.

"We're not _lost_ ," the raven insisted as he huffed. "I just… I'm not quite certain turning _left_ at the gaggle of geese was the correct choice."

"So we _are_ lost," Sofia confirmed with a frustrated sigh. "Wormwood!"

"What?! I'm a raven, not a navigator. It's not _my_ job to know how to get to Mystic Meadows!"

"Yes, but it was your idea to go there! Besides, I thought all birds had a good sense of direction." She plopped onto the ground and stared at their surroundings.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, _princess_ , I've been cooped up in Cedric's lai—I mean, workshop, for quite some time now. And the only place he takes me is to that blasted garden to gather _berries_."

"Why are you so angry?" Sofia asked with a frown. "We're trying to save our friend from an evil fairy. The last thing we should be doing is arguing."

Wormwood paused and sighed as he lowered himself to the ground. "I suppose you're right… Well, let's look at it this way. You've been to Mystic Meadows recently. Don't _you_ remember how to get there?"

Sofia pondered for a few moments before turning and looking to her right. "I think…we passed over that lake over there." She lit up. "Yeah! And then it's not much farther after that!" She picked up Wormwood into a happy hug. "You're a genius, Wormwood!"

"I know, but…I…don't…do…hugs," he huffed as she released him. He shook out his feathers as Sofia giggled. "Haha, very funny, princess." He smirked. "Let's get a move on."

To be continued…

A/N: Don't ask me why, but I personally believe that if Sofia and Wormwood ever _did_ get stuck having to team up together for whatever reason, they would probably bicker like this. :p He thinks she's annoying, and she just wants to be friends but won't tolerate rudeness. :D Oh, yeah. Wonderful match! Haha. I'm thinking of having a story with just these two later on, and it's probably going to be pretty hilarious. Oh, the possibilities! Lol :)

Till next time!

~AquaTurquoise


	3. Making Plans

Hostage

Summary: Miss Nettle returns and takes Cedric hostage, using a mind control spell to get him to do her bidding. Sofia teams up with Vivian and Wormwood to rescue the sorcerer but runs into trouble along the way. *As suggested by TheOliviaOcti*

Disclaimer: I don't own "Sofia the First!"

A/N: So it looks like the trio is about to encounter Goodwin and Winifred together, meaning this will be Cedric's parents' first time in a while (to our knowledge) of seeing Wormy! :) Should be a cute reunion. And indeed, what could Miss Nettle have in store for Ceddy-kins!? Let's find out. :D

Chapter 3: Making Plans

"I see it!" Sofia exclaimed with a large smile on her face as she pointed down at the cottage where Cedric's parents lived. "Oh, I told you we were going the right way."

Vivian laughed. "I never said you weren't, Sofia," she reminded the girl once more.

"Oh, no, Vivian—I meant Wormwood. He, um… He seemed a bit worried." She smiled nervously. Seriously, she had to stop talking to animals while she was around other people. They were getting suspicious…

"Okay…if you say so." The other princess shrugged as they landed carefully onto the ground. "So these are Mr. Cedric's parents?"

"Yeah. They're really nice and will definitely be able to help us." She left the flying coach with her friend behind her, Wormwood resting on Sofia's shoulder. "Mr. Goodwin is the one who gave Mr. Cedric his new wand."

"Oh, very neat. The way you talk about them, they almost sound like _your_ parents." She giggled.

Sofia grinned. "In a way, they kind of are—like second parents or something. Come on!" She grabbed her friend's hand and hurried up to the door.

"Princess!" Wormwood hissed as he clung to her shoulder. "Could you stop running?! You're bouncing me all over the place!"

The princess laughed and whispered back, "You have _wings_ , you know."

Wormwood rolled his eyes and released her shoulder as he inadvertently took her advice. "…Point taken."

Sofia reached up and knocked on the door, and she was instantly greeted with an excited gasp. "Hi, Mrs. Winifred."

"Princess Sofia!" the older woman gushed as she hugged the young girl. "Goody! Come see: it's the darling princess!" As her husband was making his way forward, Winifred frowned in concern. "My dear, please tell me you didn't travel here all on your own. Where is Cedric?"

"Uh, well, I wasn't _alone_ …" Sofia smiled and gestured toward Vivian. "My friend came with me. And Mr. Cedric…"

"Don't tell me he got himself into trouble again," Goodwin lamented as he nodded toward the young girls.

Vivian stepped forward and said politely, "Sort of, but it wasn't his fault."

"Come in, and tell us the rest of the story." Goodwin ushered them all inside before chuckling as Wormwood alighted onto his shoulder. "Long time no see, Wormwood."

The raven cawed in response as the girls began their story.

Cedric yawned and opened his eyes, glancing around the room where he was held. Apparently a spell was holding him upright and firmly in place. His tired eyes sought out the pesky fairy who'd captured him, and when he found her, his greeting wasn't necessarily what one would expect. It was…endearing? "Oh, Miss Nettle," he sighed with a sleepy smile on his face.

Miss Nettle blinked upon hearing Cedric's voice and turned away from whatever she was working on. She smirked. "Awake already, Cedric dear? That was a quick nap!"

"I don't need much sleep! I'm ready to go! When can we steal Princess Sofia's amulet?" Even before, he hadn't been _this_ excited to steal the girl's amulet. Maybe his eagerness had been escalated based on the spell Nettle had placed upon him. "You still want to do that wicked thing, right?"

Rosey scoffed. "Please put him back to sleep," she whined as she squeezed the fairy's arm tighter, making Miss Nettle wince a bit. "He's really annoying when he's agreeable!"

"Now, Rosey, don't be jealous." She grinned and tweaked her friend's equivalent of a nose. "You'll always be my favorite."

"I'm not jealous! I'm irritated! Being stuck with the two of you—the plotting, the incoherent mumbling, the singing—it's more than I can take! I'm about to pull my petals out!"

Cedric smiled encouragingly at the flower. "Now, now, dear Rose—"

"It's _Rosey_!"

"S-Sorry! Rosey, leave it to me! I'll handle the princess. She trusts me anyway." He grinned.

Miss Nettle smirked once more. "I knew you'd be useful for something…"

"So Cedric got himself captured again, eh?" Goodwin sighed and shook his head.

"Again?" Sofia asked with a surprised look. "He's been captured before?"

Winifred chuckled. "Twice actually," she corrected. "Once when he was a child—his friend Greylock tricked him and…well, poor Ceddy-kins ended up dressed like a fairy." She snickered.

Vivian leaned toward Sofia and whispered, "And now we know why he _really_ doesn't like fairies."

Sofia giggled before asking, "And what was the other time we don't know about?"

Goodwin shook his head. "That would be his sister, actually. Long story though. I'll tell you later." Seeing that he had the girls' attention, he smiled. "Now, what we need to do is track him down. And I have just the thing." He stood and walked over to a cabinet, pulling out a ruby gem. "Does he happen to have his family wand on him, Princess Sofia?"

She nodded. "I think so… I hope so. If Miss Nettle tries anything…"

Winifred smiled gently at the girl. "Don't worry, dear. Cedric is stronger than he looks. He can take care of himself when he really needs to. But Goody, we really do need to get hold of him. Who knows what a wicked fairy is capable of?"

Sofia and Wormwood exchanged dubious looks. Oh, they knew. They knew very well.

Goodwin tapped his wand against the gem and waited a few moments before looking toward the host of others in the living room. "I know where he is."

To be continued…

A/N: Yay! We're making progress. Yeah, this one's a bit shorter, but next chapter should be longer. Once things settle down around here, I'll really start delving a bit deeper into it. Hopefully next week at some point, I'll have chapter 4 up. Meanwhile, I'm looking at starting a few more of my stories soon! At the moment, I'm not taking any more requests so I can catch up with my original ideas. Perhaps that will change in the future, but for now I'll focus on my works in progress. :D Till next time!

~AquaTurquoise


	4. In the Balance

Hostage

Summary: Miss Nettle returns and takes Cedric hostage, using a mind control spell to get him to do her bidding. Sofia teams up with Vivian and Wormwood to rescue the sorcerer but runs into trouble along the way. *As suggested by TheOliviaOcti*

Disclaimer: I don't own "Sofia the First!"

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update! It's been busy around here, naturally. Figures, right? I'm busier in the summer than I am during the school year! Amazing. :p Anyway, in this chapter, Cedric will encounter Sofia again, but will he get her amulet? Let's find out!

Chapter 4: In the Balance

"La-la-dee-doo," Miss Nettle sang with a spritely tone as she twirled happily in a circle. "I'm going to get Princess Sofia's amulet!" She grinned toward Cedric, who blinked at her from his position in his chair. (Whatever random energy burst he'd originally had, he appeared to be somewhat calmed down now.) "So, Cedric darling, what do you suggest for swiping the amulet away from the precious princess?"

"It's not going to be easy," he admitted, sighing. "She's smart—very smart. Certainly smarter than her parents in a lot of ways. If you want the amulet, you have to be as cunning as possible without making it look like you actually want something."

"Mm, close." She hovered a few inches from the ground before flying over to him, pointing her wand at his nose. " _You_ have to be cunning and believable."

"Right, right." He moved back a bit as the fairy backed away. "Problem is… Even if it's someone she trusts, she still has issues with letting go of the amulet." He rolled his eyes. "Can't imagine _why_."

"Hmm." Miss Nettle tapped her wand to her chin. "How could we possibly _convince_ her to hand it over? Maybe we should hold _her_ hostage or something."

"I don't know," Cedric admitted with a frown. "But…you're not going to hurt her, right?"

"Now, Cedric, what happened to your can-do attitude a little while ago? You said you'd handle the princess for me!"

"But I won't hurt her," he chided seriously. "So if you have any plans of violence, forget it."

She smirked. "I wouldn't _dream_ of hurting the little princess. I simply want to retrieve—"

"Steal," Rosey cut in with a grin, making Miss Nettle glare at her.

"…Her amulet." The shorter woman shrugged. "It's quite simple, really. If the pesky princess weren't so pathetically suspicious, things would be easier."

The rose rolled her eyes. "I hate to break it to you, but we've both seen how her mind works. She didn't trust you from the moment she saw you dressed as Sascha." She chuckled. "You must have some _aura_ she senses or something."

"Maybe she needs 'Anti-Nettle' spray," Cedric suggested, laughing nervously when the wicked fairy cast her pointed glare at him this time. "Just kidding!"

"Keep joking like that, and I'll find a _new_ use for you." Seeing that she'd made Cedric uncomfortable with her comment, Miss Nettle's smirk returned. She blinked when Rosey tightened her grip on her wrist before gesturing toward a vacant room. "Be a moment, Cedric dear."

Cedric sighed in relief, realizing he was off the hook for now. Spell or no spell, he couldn't seem to stop the snippy or sarcastic comments from leaving his mouth—perhaps it was just part of his character. He gazed off in a slight daze.

"What is it, Rosey?" Miss Nettle asked in annoyance. "I'm in the middle of something, you realize."

"Yeah, and did you remember that the spell you had him chant said that you only have until midnight for him to be useful?" The rose gestured widely with one of her leaves. "And in case you haven't noticed, it's getting kind of dark outside! What are we supposed to do if we run out of time?"

"I'll just put him under another spell!"

"That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard! It would be a complete waste of time. He seems to be all talk anyway. Before we know it, Sofia's probably going to come bursting in here to save the day and rescue her precious sorcerer."

The fairy snorted with a grin. "Right. A _child_ is going to beat me."

"…Twice already," Rosey reminded her, a bemused look on her face. "And I realize 'third time's the charm' and all that, but you're kind of all over the place as it is! If you _really_ want her amulet, why didn't you just put a spell on _her_?"

Miss Nettle paused and considered this. "You know…you may have a point there." A sly grin arose on her face. "And to make things more interesting, I know just what to do…" She stepped out of the vacant room and back toward Cedric. "Cedric, darling, do you happen to have your wand?"

He nodded in confusion. "Why do you ask?"

Her grin grew. "I'm going to need you to do me a favor…"

"Are you sure we're at the right place, Goody?" Winifred wondered as the quartet and Wormwood approached the small cottage. She frowned. "Seems like an awfully obvious place to keep a hostage, hmm? It's reminiscent of a few other fairies I recall."

"That's the reading I'm getting, Winifred," he responded with a shrug. He glanced down at his ruby gem. "It's not been this strong the entire voyage. This must be it."

"Just be careful, Sofia," Vivian reminded her friend as she watched the auburn-haired princess step impulsively up to the door. "Remember that Mr. Cedric didn't seem to be very much like himself, and he even seemed like he was out to get you while under that spell."

Sofia sighed and looked toward the dark-haired girl. "I know, Vivian. But he's my friend. I've got to save him." She turned the handle, realizing it was unlocked, and stepped inside. She gasped when she saw her friend standing with his Family Wand in one hand. A quick glance around the room proved that Miss Nettle wasn't in sight. "Mr. Cedric!" She didn't want to move forward just yet…just in case. "Are you… Are you all right?"

Cedric smiled pleasantly and nodded. "Perfectly fine, Princess Sofia."

"Where is Miss Nettle?" she asked suspiciously.

"She let me go," he lied with a shrug. "I guess I prove no match for her, eh?" He watched as the princess took one step toward him. "Princess Sofia, why so hesitant? It's just me…"

Meanwhile, Vivian, Goodwin, Winifred, and Wormwood had eased inside, though the sorcerer didn't seem to pay them any mind.

' _Why is he calling me by my title?'_ she wondered silently, considering they were usually informal with each other most of the time. "Mr. Cedric…"

Before she could say another word or make any further movements, Cedric pointed his wand at her and chanted, " _Obedire mea ordinibus_. (Obey my orders.)" A stream of magic stemmed from his wand and wrapped around the girl, holding her still and making her eyes lose their focus.

"Cedric!" Goodwin snapped, getting his son's attention. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, hello, Father," Cedric chuckled as he still held his wand on Sofia. "Don't worry—I won't hurt her. That was an agreement Miss Nettle and I had. However, I'm afraid there _is_ something I need form her. Sofia, my dear, please hand over your amulet."

Without a word, the princess reached up and unclasped the chain to her amulet before walking forward and holding it out to him. "Yes, Mr. Cedric…"

"Sofia! Snap out of it!" Vivian called, worried.

"Goodwin, do something," Winifred hissed as her husband wielded his own wand.

Meanwhile, Miss Nettle watched from the side, a smirk growing on her face. "This is it, Rosey!"

Cedric reached out and touched the jewel of the amulet…and vanished, along with Sofia.

"WHAT?!" Miss Nettle shrieked and rushed into the room, her eyes ablaze with anger and disbelief. "Where did they go?!"

Goodwin looked back at his wife, who appeared to be just as clueless as he was, before glaring at the evil fairy. He held his wand at her before she could even try to escape. "Don't even think about it."

To be continued…

A/N: Oh, no! What happened to Sofia and Cedric? Will Sofia hold a grudge against Cedric after this? Will they even remember anything? Hmm! ;) Chapter 5 is coming soon! (I had to make some revisions; otherwise, I'd have posted it simultaneously, like I'd originally planned.) I have some interesting plans for the next chapter. Oh, and keep an eye out for a new story by the end of the week: "Mood Swings." It's going to be pretty hilarious. :D Till next time! ~AquaTurquoise


	5. Breaking the Spell

Hostage

Summary: Miss Nettle returns and takes Cedric hostage, using a mind control spell to get him to do her bidding. Sofia teams up with Vivian and Wormwood to rescue the sorcerer but runs into trouble along the way. *As suggested by TheOliviaOcti*

Disclaimer: I don't own "Sofia the First!"

A/N: It took me quite some time to get this just right, but I finally feel satisfied with it. So here it is: the end of "Hostage." And because it's taken so long, I've decided to include a little someone special in here for all the waiting. :D Off we go!

Chapter 5: Breaking the Spell

Cedric groaned as he sat up and looked around. He appeared to be in an undeterminable location. That is to say, the area was somewhat dark with a few rays of light beaming in. Strange purple clouds floated by, though some even moved straight through him. And hanging in all areas of his current location were clocks—normal clocks, melting clocks, broken clocks, and so on. But they all read the same time: 11:57.

He glanced to his side and noticed that Sofia lay there, unconscious. He smirked and reached out toward her amulet again, which lay next to her. But something happened that he wasn't expecting… The amulet floated away from his reach and into the darkness.

"What the…?" He blinked with wide brown eyes when the last person he expected to see emerged from the darkness. "M-Merlin's mushrooms…"

"No, just 'Merlin' I'm afraid," the well-known wizard retaliated as he twirled the amulet around his fingers. "Cedric, I'm disappointed in you."

Cedric frowned and folded his arms. "I'm supposed to retrieve that amulet for Miss Nettle, Merlin, and I can't have you interfering."

"Would you listen to yourself, boy? You sound like an ingrate." He pointed up at the clocks, which still held the same time. "Three minutes may not seem like long, but here in one's mind it can last for an eternity, if you let it."

"In one's mind?" He blinked. "But Sofia and I disappeared… She's right here!" He pointed down at his sleeping apprentice. "And she's under _my_ spell!"

"Right, but you're under Miss Nettle's spell." Merlin wielded his own wand and pointed at the younger sorcerer. "Amazing that you still have somewhat of a will to make sure the princess is safe, even if going through with that fairy's plan may very well mean the end of your friendship with the one person who's cared enough about you to see you succeed. So many people don't have that kind of friendship, Cedric, so what are you going to do about it?"

*Click*

Cedric looked up, seeing that the clocks had changed to 11:58. "I…"

"It's true," Merlin admitted. "Midnight will dissolve the spell on _you_ , but Princess Sofia has no such time limit…meaning you could have everything you've ever desired. She _gave_ you that amulet, after all, right? You want the kingdom? It could be yours. You want respect? Well, I would necessarily called it _respect_ so much as forced admiration. Sure, boy, you can have it all—but is that what you want?"

The sorcerer held his hands up to his head, trying to fight off that temptation. "Stop it! You're confusing me!"

"No," Merlin insisted as he stepped forward and glared down at Cedric. "You're letting poor judgment cloud your mind, just as you used to do. You've come so far, Cedric. Don't give it all up just because of this one setback. Don't disappoint Sofia and those around you who've only wanted the best for you."

*Click* 11:59

Cedric glanced down at the sleeping girl and looked back up at Merlin. "I need the amulet."

The wizard's features changed to that of sheer discontent. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Now hand it over." He held out his gloved hand, anticipating the arrival of his once-coveted jewel.

Sighing and relenting, realizing he couldn't interfere any further, and nor could he set about forcing Cedric to change his mind, he relinquished the amulet to the younger sorcerer.

Cedric grasped the precious jewelry in his hand before looking down at Sofia and moving an arm behind her, helping her sit up. He then gingerly placed the amulet back around her neck.

Merlin's eyes widened. He looked up just as the clock struck midnight. Then a satisfied smile etched into his features. "Mm. True friendship isn't always blocked by a spell, I see…"

Cedric gave his hero a genuine smile. "Some things aren't worth losing, even for all the power in the world." He picked up his discarded family wand and placed it to Sofia's forehead, murmuring a counter spell. " _Exutos_ _incantandi_. (Release from the spell.)"

Meanwhile, Miss Nettle and Rosey were now magically tied up with a spell set forth by Goodwin _and_ Winifred. They made sure the fairy wasn't going anywhere, if they could help it. Vivian stood aside with Wormwood on her shoulder, both watching curiously.

"So you're the wretched woman who wreaked havoc not only with Princess Sofia but with my son as well?" Goodwin glared at Miss Nettle.

The fairy cackled in response. " _Cedric_ is _your_ son? Well, that explains the desire to put your nose in where it doesn't belong. Oh, wait, I'm sure he got the nose from Mommy Dearest over here."

Winifred gasped before scowling. "Goody, either seal her mouth shut, or I'll do it for her—the old fashioned way!"

Before anything else could be said or done, a light appeared and faded near the door, where Cedric reappeared with his sleeping apprentice in his arms.

"Cedric!" Goodwin beamed. "Son, are you all right?"

"You didn't get her amulet?!" Miss Nettle groaned. "So much for that. You're just as useless as ever."

Cedric smirked as he held up an amulet in one hand. "You mean _this_ amulet?"

The fairy's eyes lit up, a grin plastered on her face. "Oh, Cedric darling, I knew you could do it! Here, hand it to me before your mother blasts me into oblivion or something."

Cedric caught the eyes of his parents, who seemed to understand his intent without even saying anything. He then walked over and placed the amulet over her neck, making her cackle again in sheer delight.

"Oh, yes! Yes! I can feel the power!" She paused. "I…wait, what's happening?" She gasped as she saw that the amulet was not amethyst but instead was a garnet color. "This isn't Sofia's amulet! What have you done?!"

The youngest sorcerer in the room placed Sofia to her feet as he held onto her to keep her from falling in her sleeping state. Indeed, her own amulet was still securely fastened around her neck. "Let's just say that you're going to have one heck of a time with that amulet… And, um, I wouldn't attempt any counter spells or anything, unless you feel like injuring yourself and your dear Rosebud over there."

Rosey growled. "It's _Rosey_!"

"Best just to let Cedric's spell take its course," Goodwin agreed with a smirk as he rounded up his group and transported them away to Mystic Meadows.

"NO!" Miss Nettle suddenly calmed and smiled happily. "I think I'll go clean the kitchen! Ooh, and then I'll tend to the garden. Oh, silly me! It's after midnight! You know what that means, Rosey!"

"What…?" the rose asked warily, definitely not liking this overly-sugary new fairy she was stuck with.

"BED TIME! We must be early to bed and early to rise, for tomorrow we plant _daisies_!"

"I _hate_ daisies!"

In Mystic Meadows, Sofia finally stirred and opened her eyes, seeing Cedric and Vivian staring down at her in concern. She smiled. "Hi," she said softly.

"Sofia," Vivian began, clutching her hand, "are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She sat up on the sofa and looked toward her mentor. "Mr. Cedric, you're okay?"

"Never better," he assured her before blinking in surprise as she hugged him.

"I was worried about you! Miss Nettle had you under a spell, and…and my memory is kind of fuzzy, but I knew you were in trouble."

He smiled and returned her hug. "I'm just fine. Sorry to have worried you."

The princess grinned as she released him from the hug. "It's all right. I'm just glad you're back to normal. And by the way…can we Miss Nettle-proof the castle?"

Cedric laughed. "I don't think we'll have to worry about her for a long time. Trust me." He winked and she giggled. "Now, you two must be starving. Mummy has made some dinner for us, and some fly cakes for dessert!"

Vivian blinked. "What are _fly_ cakes?"

Sofia beamed as she took her friends' hands and led them into the kitchen. "You'll love them! Come on!"

Wormwood rolled his eyes at the scene before turning to a mirror to adjust his feathers. He blinked when he saw a different reflection in the mirror: that of Merlin smiling knowingly. He gasped, glanced back at the kitchen where the others were, and then looked toward the mirror again. Merlin was gone. Wormwood shook his head. "No more sweets for me…"

The end

A/N: Wormy always has fun endings. Lol. Hope you all enjoyed! There may still be some exploring to do with this situation, but I'm going to resign from it for now. :D I have several other stories I'm going to start working on, and none of them involve Miss Nettle. :p She's going in a box for now and will not be released for a _long_ time. Hehehe. Until next time, everyone!

~AquaTurquoise


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